Dragon House Fare Fit For A Feast

Xian and Rachel Ou heard a restaurant was for sale in Davie, decided to pursue their dreams and headed south.

The couple, who moved from Baltimore, purchased the space at 3414 S. University Drive, inside the University Park Plaza, this summer and opened Dragon House Chinese Cuisine.

"My husband always wanted to have his own restaurant and I always wanted to have my own business," Rachel Ou said.

Dragon House replaces another Chinese restaurant. The place got a new name and menu and a redecorated interior, with a mint green-and-black color scheme and colorful dragon banners hanging from the ceiling.

The 50-seat restaurant offers what Rachel Ou described as New York-style Chinese cuisine.

"A lot of people say they see things on our menu that they haven't eaten since moving here from up North," she said.

Among more popular dishes are the scallion pancakes and the New York Hot Plate, which consists of shrimp, scallops, crab, squid, fish balls, snow peas and onions in a spicy brown sauce.

The food is prepared by Xian Ou, 27, who was born in Fujian, China. He has been working in restaurant kitchens since arriving in the United States 10 years ago, said Rachel Ou, a native of Midland, Mich.

He worked for most of those years at Chinese restaurants in New York, but his last position was as a chef at one in Baltimore. Rachel Ou, 23, worked with her husband as a manager there.

Among the not-so-traditional entrees are the Chinese Pizza for $8.95, which consists of a crust of pan-fried, thin rice noodles topped with pork, chicken, shrimp and shredded vegetables, she said.

There also are 24 combination platters such as almond boneless chicken and shrimp with lobster sauce.

Lunch platters, ranging in price from $4.25 to $4.95, come with an entree, soup and pork fried rice. Dinner platters, from $6.50 to $8.25, are served with an entree, egg roll, soup and pork fried rice.

A list of house specialties is available, too, including West Lake Duck for $10.50, which consists of shredded duck, bamboo shoots, carrots and scallions in a brown sauce.

All dishes may be made without oil, starch and MSG. Dishes also may be steamed with sauce served on the side and have tofu substituted for meat. "Everything is made from scratch," she said.

Most items are available for takeout in pints or quarts. Free delivery is available within a 3-mile radius for orders of $10 or more.

Since arriving in South Florida, the couple have settled in Cooper City.

They like the University Park Plaza, she said, because they find the area clean and well-kept. They also liked that the shopping center has two buildings that include Nova Southeastern University classrooms and offices.

"We knew there would be a steady stream of students and faculty," she said.